THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13433, 26 March 1907, Page 5

THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT

A COMPLAINT /AGAINST ITS METHODS.

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 25.

Recently, "a ' deputatioir from the JEraoW atnT Labour - Council waited 'on the,Minist«r forA&aboUiy Snaking strong complaints concerning the method of administration" bf 'the Department.

The Hon. J. A. Millar ha& written to the secretary of >he Cbdks' and Waiters' Union stating lie has made fuH'enquiry and "it appears to me that, so far as the Cooks' and Waiters'- .Union is concerned, there is not much cause for complaint against the Department. I may point out that your agreement came into operation only on November 26 last, and since that time eighteen cases have been dealt with by the Court, convictions following is. each case. One hundred and forty others < huv,e x beon filed, and- are awaiting the Court to ie desit with. ■ The reomiader are either under investigation,'-, dri instructions have been; given to " Under these circumstances I tia not think it possible . JortyQur union to maintain that the Pepartment 'have not endeavoured to see that the&gtfeemeßt.was carried out, notwithstanding the fact that the agreement is one of the most difficult for employers- and employees to work under; also for the Bepartment to administer." '_'.';' JMr Carey, secretary, in reply td the Minister, reiterates the former complaints, and assorts that the 'Department condoned breaches by accepting payment of back money after the breaches had been inyestigaijed and proved. -He combaite'd'the Minister's statement' that -the agreenieni'^s^difficult/tb administer/ ahtTsays the only difficulty. 6f the Agreement is the obstinacy ' of some bf the employers, who are partly 'a party to $£, /and who have never before been touched by a strong union of- workers. ' Mr Carey further contends that "them was great delay in answering correspondence on the part of the Department, and admitting that investigation had to be made into some of the complaints, it could not have taken months: He poiiits ottf'bh instance where letters wore riot answered for over a month. 5 THe sccreta-TV asks for'further enquiry and ojiporihinfty tobfe given him to T prove all that was submitted by Hie deputation. *' ! "